Call for papers: Data Analytics Techniques and Heuristics for Complex Supply Chain Network Problems

A special issue of International Journal of Enterprise Network Management

A continuous quest for improved performance is the linchpin of success in many best-in-class organisations. These organisations exhibit proven ability to strive and excel in all spheres of activities. These activities cut across all the organisation’s functions and processes stretching from sourcing to customer service. Otherwise known as the supply chain, “excellent design and efficient execution of these activities and processes” charts a company’s success. We need breakthrough success enabled through efficient supply chain processes. There is a need for designing, modelling and executing the various supply chain problems and processes.

Facilitating the transformation process from data to information to knowledge is a supreme concern for every organisation. Many organisations are being swamped with data and volumes of contradictory information, but with limited real usable knowledge. Statisticians focus on data accuracy, database administrators emphasise data completeness and operational researchers target optimisation. But the integration of the above is missing. So, current isolated islands of data analysis and optimisation techniques should be connected and an integrated and systematic union of data analytics and optimisation techniques for modelling supply chain problems is a current need.

The integration of data analytics and optimisation techniques can be used to assist decision-makers at all management levels:

• Strategic management: sourcing decisions, site feasibility analysis and supply chain network design
• Tactical management: design of vendor-managed inventory, collaborative forecasting and replenishment, transportation planning
• Operational management: routing of products and vehicles, organisation of returns and services

We invite papers on cutting-edge research that address various significant supply chain and logistics issues, which include but are not limited to:

Modelling systems which employ optimisation techniques in order to provide decision support for

• strategic network planning
• demand, forecast and inventory planning and
• transport planning

Data analytics techniques which may include

• Multivariate analysis
• Multicriteria decision analysis and
• Data mining

Optimisation techniques which may include

• Heuristics and
• Metaheuristics
• Combination of the above

Important Dates
Submission of full paper: 30 September, 2009
Feedback from referees: 30 October, 2009
Submission due date of revised paper: 15 November, 2009
Notification of acceptance: 1 December, 2009
Submission of final revised paper: 15 December, 2009